A company director and his firm had agreed to pay a 17-year-old former employee £15,000 compensation for sexual harassment and assault, the Circuit Civil Court was told yesterday.
Mr Tom Hogan, counsel for the girl, told Judge Kevin Haugh that Mr Ciaran Fitzpatrick, of Griffith Avenue Extension, Finglas, Dublin, and Ciaran Fitzpatrick Ltd, Talbot Street, Dublin, had been the girl's co-employees in February last when a number of incidents occurred.
Mr Hogan said the girl, who was then aged 16, had been subjected to incidents of sexual harassment and sexual assault.
"There was one very threatening incident of a sexual nature which occurred on February 2nd last when she was kept in the canteen and touched inappropriately and not allowed to leave the room," Mr Hogan said.
He said that as a result of the very threatening and traumatic experience, the girl had to leave her employment with Ciaran Fitzpatrick Ltd. She had not worked since and had lost 14 lb since February.
Mr Hogan said the girl had afterwards received 12 sessions of counselling. In a medical report, her doctor had stated she had suffered from anxiety as a result of a sexual assault at work.
Mr Hogan said an offer of £15,000 compensation had been made, and he felt it was reasonable. The girl had recovered from her experience and wanted to put it behind her.
Judge Haugh, who refused an application to have the matter heard in secret, said he had no powers to hear the case in camera.
Approving the £15,000 settlement offer, he said the media might consider the girl had suffered enough and voluntarily decline to publish her name and address.